Take Action! Be a BIG VOICE for Little Kids

I received the below email yesterday from Patricia Cole at the Zero to Three National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families Policy group. Please consider helping get all babies and toddlers ready for school and life!

“This week your Senators will vote on S. 1086, to reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). If this bill passes, this victory will be an important step in building a strong early learning system.

Take action and give CCDBG a boost by:

Calling your Senators

Call 202-224-3121. Tell the operator who answers the phone the name of one of your Senators. (Not sure? Look up your Senators here.)

Once you are connected to your Senator’s office, tell the staff person who answers:“My name is _____ and I am a constituent. I work as an early childhood professional. I urge the Senator to vote ‘Yes’ on S. 1086 to reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant. Thank you.”

Hang up and call your other Senator.

Joining the Tweet StormBeginning tomorrow morning (3/11/14) through the rest of the week, help get the word out on Twitter using the hashtag #Care4Kids. Be sure to thank the leaders on the bill whose handles are in the last sample tweet. Here are a few sample tweets you can use:

Helping working families get quality child care can make all the difference. RT if you support #Care4Kids.

A strong investment in affordable, quality child care will help more than 1.5 million children. Time to #Care4Kids.

RT to thank @SenatorHarkin, @SenatorBarb, @SenAlexander, @SenatorBurr for their bill to support high-quality, affordable #Care4Kids.

CCDBG was last reauthorized nearly 20 years ago. Much has changed since then, but the fundamental importance of child care funding has not. Here’s what the new bill would do:

Improve the health and safety of children in child care settings

Make it easier for families to get and keep the child care assistance they need

Enable children to have more stable child care

Strengthen the overall quality of child care

High-quality child care is critical for the success of children and their parents. Child care provides countless early learning opportunities to children and enables parents to work so they can support their families. Urge your Senators to vote YES to reauthorize CCDBG.